back to article New measurement alert: Liz Truss inspires new Register standard

She may have lost to an iceberg lettuce in the longevity stakes, but Liz Truss managed to win one thing yesterday: serving 44 days before resigning, she is now Shortest-lived Prime Minister in UK History. That's less than half the time Britain was led by its second shortest tenured PM, George Canning (who also penned the odd …

  1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Coat

    But where's the "Merkel"

    Which IIRC should be about 140 Truss's

    Clearly "Muti" was a solid long term investment.

    1. Version 1.0 Silver badge
      IT Angle

      Re: But where's the "Merkel"

      We need a Prime Minister who is concerned about fixing all of the issues affecting the UK that have appeared in recent years ... but we're only going to get a Prime Minister who's good at getting elected. This is pretty much like writing software and saying it works, but never checking it ... The current update with Liz Truss is just like installing Windows 11 and finding issues that will be "fixed next week" for the next few years.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: But where's the "Merkel"

        >we're only going to get a Prime Minister who's good at getting elected

        We haven't really had one of them in donkeys. All three of Truss, Johnson and May plumb the depths for least popular party leaders and PMs in recorded history.

        Johnson didn't win in 2019 because he was popular or great at elections, he won because he was standing against a hate-filled antisemite who these days spends his time parroting Putin's talking points with his fellow quislings from the so-called stop the war coalition and "Novara Media"

        1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

          Re: But where's the "Merkel"

          Or because he teamed up with UKIP to have "Brexit Party" candidates to split the vote in labour safe seats.

          Presumably the proof will be when the strong and stable conservative candidates all keep their northern seats with an increased majority

        2. Trigonoceps occipitalis

          Re: But where's the "Merkel"

          Quisling

          He was a Norwegian.

        3. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: a hate-filled antisemite

          Kanye West was standing?

          That's an anti-semite.

          Believing that Palestinian people have rights doesn't make you an anti-semite.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: a hate-filled antisemite

            Believing that Palestinian gays, trans, women, non-confirmists, etc. have more rights under Hamas rule than under Israeli law doesn't make you look particularly sharp-witted

            1. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

              Re: a hate-filled antisemite

              Really milking that AC badge eh?

              I dont think political extremism was the reason the Reg put it there

        4. ArrZarr Silver badge

          Re: But where's the "Merkel"

          Johnson won in 2019 with 1% more vote share than May had in 2017. That 1% would have led to a majority given that May was technically in a minority government (I don't know my NI parties as well as I should, but one of them (the DUP?) usually vote with the tories).

          The 60 seat difference between 2017 and 2019 was all through whatever Nigel Farage's party of the day splitting the labour vote in heavy leave LAB seats.

      2. Snake Silver badge
        FAIL

        Re: Prime Minister

        "but we're only going to get a Prime Minister who's good at getting elected."

        Welcome to 21st Century politics, you'll just love it here. [/s]

        Take your pick: weak, ineffectual "progressive" or authoritarian rich-apologist "conservative".

        Oh, and BTW, immediately remove any politician preaching that austerity and tax cuts for the top earners will work - just ask Kansas.

        But that won't stop them from preaching the same tired, old, hoary beliefs.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Prime Minister

          >Take your pick: weak, ineffectual "progressive" or authoritarian rich-apologist "conservative".

          Given the last UK election was between a "conservative" who raised taxes to their highest levels in history and a "progressive" mostly obsessed with how to help out his mates in Syria and Iran I think it's fairly safe to say this is complete nonsense. If anything we're more at risk of populist extremists engaging in elected tyranny than at any other time since the beginning of last century.

          1. FlamingDeath Silver badge

            Re: Prime Minister

            By your measure, we should never have made friends with the Germans after WW2, and should instead drag a conflict out for as longs possible.

            I suspect you're afflicted with inkfingers, which BTW gives you cancer. You should avoid printed media

            1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

              Re: Prime Minister

              >By your measure, we should never have made friends with the Germans after WW2, and should instead drag a conflict out for as longs possible.

              Germans? Pah, we should still be at war with the French!

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: Prime Minister

                Wait, England isn't still at war with France?!

              2. stiine Silver badge
                Devil

                Re: Prime Minister

                But after 1066, you've been French!

                1. Anonymous Coward
                  Anonymous Coward

                  Re: Prime Minister

                  since 1066...

                  Yes, I wonder how well it'll go down when the next 'natural ruling party' (TM) start demanding Bordeaux, Normandy, Aqutaine etc. back in "Brexit II, rolling back the clock"

                  Where's my pint of longbow gone?

                2. Norman Nescio Silver badge
                  Headmaster

                  Re: Prime Minister

                  But after 1066, you've been French!

                  Err, No. The Normans were migratory Vikings who raided and settled the area of northern France now known as...Normandy! They intermingled with the local Frankish population, adopting their language and religion, but remained distinguishable from the surrounding pure Frankish populated areas. They went on rapidly to expand round parts of Europe, including southern Italy, North Africa, the Levant, and Northern Turkey, all by sea-borne invasion; and of course, famously, the British Isles (Great Britain and Ireland).

                  Wikipedia:Normans Wikipedia:Duchy of Normandy

                  William the Conqueror was a descendent of Rollo, a Viking and the first ruler of Normandy.

                  1. Jim Mitchell
                    Stop

                    Re: Prime Minister

                    This is the internet, you can't let facts get in the way of the narrative!

                  2. J.G.Harston Silver badge

                    Re: Prime Minister

                    Was he the last Rollo?

                    1. Trigun

                      Re: Prime Minister

                      Well done. Have an up vote.

                      1. Trollslayer
                        Thumb Up

                        Re: Prime Minister

                        Agreed.

                  3. veti Silver badge

                    Re: Prime Minister

                    But before the Vikings were Vikings, they were migrants from the area we know as Western Europe. Including France. When they reinvaded Normandy, they were just... going home.

                  4. Anonymous Coward
                    Anonymous Coward

                    Re: Prime Minister

                    "Err, No. The Normans were migratory Vikings..."

                    Keep telling yourself whatever you need to, Frenchie.

                3. khjohansen

                  Re: Prime Minister

                  Dutch, surely, since 1689!!

                4. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

                  Re: Prime Minister

                  But after 1066, you've been French!

                  Norman-French..

                  (Williams grandfather was an unapologetic Norse raider/coloniser..)

              3. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: Prime Minister

                I thought we still are? At war. With the French? At least that's what I've been hearing since... BREXIT, non?!

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: a "progressive" mostly obsessed with how to help out his mates in Syria and Iran

            You genuinely have no idea what the policies of Labour were at the last general election. Still, I heard enough people parroting the bullshit they've read online to not blame you for believing this bollocks.

            Maybe do a little research next time?

        2. heyrick Silver badge

          Re: Prime Minister

          Of course they'll preach the nonsense. Austerity means the average citizen gets less. Tax cuts for high earners means they get more. There's a pretty clear link, and they're all corrupt and since it benefits them they'll keep saying it like it's the only viable choice.

      3. vogon00

        Re: But where's the "Merkel"

        'The current update with Liz Truss is just like installing Windows 11 and finding issues that will be "fixed next week" for the next few years.'

        Speaking of fixes :-

        'The current issue with any British politician is just like installing Windows 11 and finding issues that will be "fixed next week" for the next few years.' - FTFY.

        Also, the fuckers seem to have forgotten that they are supposed to work for the benefit of the country as a whole, not slag each other off. Stop you internal back-biting and concentrate on getting Blighty out of the shit. We must be a laughing stock in the international community.

        Dear international community, please tell us how shit you think we are.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @vogon00 - Re: But where's the "Merkel"

          Alas, a lot of leaders these days no longer seem to work for the benefit of their country.

          1. ThatOne Silver badge
            Unhappy

            Re: @vogon00 - But where's the "Merkel"

            Politicians working for the benefit of the country are extremely rare, proof is they are usually remembered for it, which shows how unusual it is.

            Normal politicians are only there for the power and the money, so the pool of potential candidates is utterly tainted. The only hope is that some of them might be of at least average intelligence, and also less unscrupulous than others, and thus not balk at doing some work for the benefit of the country as a whole. From time to time.

        2. Ace2 Silver badge

          Re: But where's the "Merkel"

          “Dear international community, please tell us how shit you think we are.”

          I dunno man. Currently I’m terrified that the purple state where I live is going to be taken over by Christofascists in a few weeks. Britain doesn’t look so terrible.

        3. heyrick Silver badge

          Re: But where's the "Merkel"

          "Dear international community, please tell us how shit you think we are."

          Don't need to tell. Just need to look.

          International trade? Shit. Exports anywhere? Shit. Strength of Sterling? Shit. Health system? Getting increasingly shittier. Government? Beyond shit. Basic state pension? Shit. Price of energy? Unbelievable shit.

          The "illegal immigrants" are the only people that seem to be heading in the direction of Britain, and that may be because where they are from is even more shit...for now.

        4. veti Silver badge

          Re: But where's the "Merkel"

          Unfortunately, there is no consensus on how to get out of the shit. So they can't "work together", they have to resolve the disagreement about what is best to do.

          That's... what politics is for. Criticising them for arguing is like criticising a test engineer for "breaking" the product, or criticising a BOFH for not letting you reformat a shared drive.

        5. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: fuckers seem to have forgotten that they are supposed to work for the benefit of the country

          this is what the little people think. The fuckers think otherwise.

        6. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: But where's the "Merkel"

          "We must be a laughing stock in the international community."

          No. As 'international community' we can laugh at Truss and then we look at at domestic (or our own neighbours) situation and notice that it's as bad here. Pure idiots in power.

          And it's worse than that: Every candidate to power, is also an idiot. These people are literally as dumb as my boots and I have to choose if I vote left boot or right boot.

          They are different but still stupid as boots. And that's not fuc***ing funny at all.

      4. Jamesit

        Re: But where's the "Merkel"

        "but we're only going to get a Prime Minister who's good at getting elected. This is pretty much like writing software and saying it works, but never checking it"

        Isn't that the Micros~1 approach to writing software?

      5. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: But where's the "Merkel"

        Wow. Windows 11. You're being generous.

        I'd say its more like we've had a succession of PMs (regardless of party) that, like Windows, are all pretty much peddling the same old shit if you look under the hood. Only the appearance changes.

      6. xyz Silver badge

        Re: But where's the "Merkel"

        Just remember that being a politician is about the only job you can talk your way into these days and do without a qualification.

        Anyway I'm just glad El Reg is back to proper journalism.

        1. veti Silver badge

          Re: But where's the "Merkel"

          Just imagine what it would be like if only people with politics-related degrees were allowed to stand.

          (Hint: that's Liz Truss.)

          "Qualifications"? Should be grounds for instant deselection.

      7. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: But where's the "Merkel"

        and like with W11 you'll get an odd re-boot to 'update' the interface without asking whether you want it or not. What's not to like? Government as a self-service.

      8. Suragai

        Re: But where's the "Merkel"

        Wouldn't that make Boris Windows 10? Based on what we saw from where I am (a nice quiet place in the South Pacific), I would have said that "Windows ME" was more appropriate for him.

  2. Cederic Silver badge

    Incorrect measurement

    Ah. Truss is still in office, and will be until Friday next week.

    So a Truss would be, what, 52 days?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Incorrect measurement

      She did quit after 44 days, so while she may still be in office, she won't be making any serious decisions... sorry did I say decisions, I meant mistakes. Serious mistakes.

      1. Androgynous Cupboard Silver badge

        Re: Incorrect measurement

        The last bloke was in office for a longer than that and didn't make any decisions either, other than "let's party". So not sure that's a benchmark.

        Private Eye helpfully noted that Goebbels was only in power for one day. Nice for the Tories still to have something to aim for.

        1. JDX Gold badge

          Re: Incorrect measurement

          He might have made bad decisions but it's lazy humour to say he didn't make any. He didn't get so unpopular without doing things that affected people.

          1. steelpillow Silver badge
            Facepalm

            didn't make any decisions?

            You slightly forgot "let's leave the EU"

            1. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

              Re: didn't make any decisions?

              You slightly forgot "let's leave the EU"

              Which was an entirely self-political decision for Boris (as in "which of the options is more likely to get elected") and not made on any basis of personal belief whatsoever.

              And let's not forget: Brexit "isn't done" - because of Boris' twaddling approach to policy, the only way he could get any sort of deal signed was to effectively cut off Northern Ireland - an utterly unworkable solution that everybody hated (especially the 'Loyalist' politicians. Hence the utter paralysis of Government in NI) and one that lead to trade paralysis in NI.

              He was and is a fundamentally immoral[1], lazy, ineffectual and highly intelligent fool. It's takes more than being able to quote Plutarch or Tacitus to be an effective politician. At least (in the latest farce) he seems to have learnt a smidgeon of common sense and has withdrawn from the Conservative leader contest - I suspect that it's been pointed out to him that exactly the same thing would happen again if he won.

              [1] Yes - I do happen to think that him being a serial adulterer is a reflection of his personal morals - if he can't keep a deeply personal promise he's made in marriage, what's the chance in him keeping *any* promise that he's made? I think Carrie needs to pay a stipend to a PI to have him followed 24/7

              1. steelpillow Silver badge
                Facepalm

                Re: didn't make any decisions?

                Blimey! You appear to be labouring under the misapprehension that politicians make decisions based on personal belief and not on self-interest. OK Liz Truss did, but she was the exception that proves the rule - and look what happened to her!

              2. veti Silver badge

                Re: didn't make any decisions?

                It's very clear that he's only withdrawn for now, probably because people told him it was too soon for a comeback. We haven't seen the last of him.

              3. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: didn't make any decisions?

                When Mayor of London (and not dangling from a zip-wire), Boris was much in favour of staying in the EU. HIGNFY have played the clip of him saying it would be foolish to ditch the EU a number of times.

        2. Snowy Silver badge
          Trollface

          Re: Incorrect measurement

          You mean "Let's eat the cake!, all of the cake!, no cake for the poor!, just cake for me!!"

          1. Cederic Silver badge

            Re: Incorrect measurement

            Johnson didn't eat any of the cake.

            1. Rameses Niblick the Third Kerplunk Kerplunk Whoops Where's My Thribble?

              Re: Incorrect measurement

              Johnson didn't eat any of the cake.

              Or drink any of the champagne. In fact he wasn't even there. Wait, there are photos? Ok, he was there, but only for ten minutes. Well, twenty minutes. Plus the speech he gave. But he didn't realise that was a party. Or the other one. That was a work discussion. The cheese and wine were there by mistake. Why is no-one blaming the caterers for this? Really it's their fault that Boris kept accidentally finding himself at parties all through lockdown.

              Actually on that last point, given as Johnsons view of home working is, and I quote "My experience of working from home is you spend an awful lot of time making another cup of coffee and then, you know, getting up, walking very slowly to the fridge, hacking off a small piece of cheese, then walking very slowly back to your laptop and then forgetting what it was you’re doing", then it's hardly surprising he thought a cheese and wine party was work.

              Also, did no-one notice that he basically admits he can't be trusted to manage his own time?

      2. Locky

        Re: Incorrect measurement

        She also had 10 days in mourning, so is a Truss 34 days active service?

        1. BenDwire Silver badge

          Re: Incorrect measurement

          So 10 days without making mistakes then? The queen paid a high price for that, but I'm very grateful.

        2. heyrick Silver badge

          Re: Incorrect measurement

          Don't forget the Party Conference nonsense that took a few more days.

          I think she might have been actually active as a Prime Minister for about three weeks.

          A brief period of time that will go down in history as a shining example of how not to run a country; along with a party that should never be allowed to run a country ever again...

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Incorrect measurement

        > she won't be making any serious decisions... sorry did I say decisions, I meant mistakes. Serious mistakes.

        Sadly it is quite likely she'll still manage to make serious mistakes ever after resigning.

      4. AVR
        Pint

        Re: Incorrect measurement

        Evidence is that she had the power to make serious decisions taken away from her a few days before formally resigning. It's the trouble with political time units, they're fuzzy and wobbly and subject to beer goggles.

    2. Charlie Clark Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Re: Incorrect measurement

      If you're going to do that, you should submit the two weeks of mourning following the death of the Queen. Otherwise Truss probably wouldn't have made it to the Nasty Tory Party conferences.

      Still, if current events are anything to go by, she might be back next year.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Incorrect measurement

      > Ah. Truss is still in office, and will be until Friday next week.

      > So a Truss would be, what, 52 days?

      I submit:

      1 Truss: 44 days

      1 Long-Truss: 52 days

      1 Imperial Truss: 34 days (due to monarchical mourning period)

      1 Metric Truss: Precisely how long she lasted down to the picosecond. But nobody uses that one, because no bugger can be bothered to calculate it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Incorrect measurement

        How about

        Mini-Truss - the time it took for her to realise "What feckin' mess have I got myself into, and how quickly can I get out of it". I think about a day maybe?

        1. F. Frederick Skitty Silver badge

          Re: Incorrect measurement

          That would require self awareness, something that both Truss and Kwarteng lack according to those that have had to work for them. Both thought they were super smart, and that objections to their ideas were from people too dim to understand their genius. Even Truss's own father has called her out on her arrogance.

    4. martinusher Silver badge

      Re: Incorrect measurement

      There's the "Monarch Demise Correction Factor" as well -- takes a good two weeks off her already short term.

      (Although its a sad/horrible thought I think Truss accidentally finished E2R off. When E2R ascended the throne her PM was Winston Churchill. Its been mostly circling the drain since them and the sight of Truss as the new PM may well have been just too much.)

      1. CountCadaver Silver badge

        Re: Incorrect measurement

        Hell I think she walked in and the queen thought "oh shit it's Margaret Thatcher, I must have died and gone to hell"

      2. heyrick Silver badge

        Re: Incorrect measurement

        Didn't King Charles greet her with something like "Oh dear, back again?".

        Amazingly prescient.

        1. Anomalous Cowturd
          Coffee/keyboard

          Re: Incorrect measurement

          I watched the video of it yesterday. It very nearly caused a keyboard related incident.

          I believe the quote was: "Dear, oh dear. Back again."

          It appears that King Chuck has his father's sense of humour. Fair play his maj.

      3. LogicGate Silver badge

        Re: Incorrect measurement

        While I have no donkey in this game, I do have the suspicion that Her Majesty held on to life until Bojo was "safely" out of office.

        She DID seem to have a strong sense of duty to her country.

  3. Gordon 10
    Pint

    Excellent!

    Readers will be glad to know that a BOFH/PFY Friday 10.5hr lager and curry bender is the same amount of time as a centi-truss.

  4. Roger Kynaston
    Thumb Up

    New monetary unit

    Since her chancellor crashed the economy shirly a Kwarteng can now be defined as £/$43,000,000,000. I add the dollar since he nearly brought the pound into parity with the US dollar.

    1. heyrick Silver badge

      Re: New monetary unit

      It was bad enough I think you could write it as £/$/€43,000,000,000.

      1. Joe W Silver badge

        Re: New monetary unit

        Nah, the Euro is not worth as much....

  5. wolfetone Silver badge

    As I closed my eyes to sleep and was about to drift off, something dawned on me.

    My son will have seen 4 Prime Ministers, 4 Chancellors, 1 Queen, 1 King, and 1 Lettuce in his life time.

    He's 10 months old.

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      Ouch.

      Although I have to say, I find it a bit unfair to mix the Queen in with that bag of nuts.

      1. Korev Silver badge
        Pirate

        Yeah, Charles belongs with the other nuts

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      If your 10 month son has only seen 1 lettuce, he must be living in Scotland.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      well, that was a tweet and you're a plagiarist and I demand my 5 roubles!

  6. oiseau
    WTF?

    Delighted ...

    ... delighted to know may have actually thrown his hat into the ring again, according to a report in The Times.

    Delighted indeed ...

    Those of the sado-masochistic persuasion or downright brain-dead idiots among Tory MPs and/or voters could be drooling at the idea.

    But who knows what the Tories will come up with?

    After all, they did come up with Truss.

    Fortunately, Truss' 44 days in office may have finally put an end to the political and economic policies that have brought the UK to its present situation.

    Quite a sad state of affairs.

    One which I fear it will take the UK decades to recover from, if at all.

    O.

    1. Ordinary Donkey

      Re: Delighted ...

      Tory MPs wanted Sunak from day one. That's why they gave members the choice of either him or the Queen of Turnips. Unfortunately he was in charge of the economy going to shit and people weren't going to forgive him for that so Liz got it instead.

      Now it looks for all the world like it will be him and Boris as the final two, which would be a literal "vote Rishi or the party gets it.". I'd expect that Boris will step down at the last minute Leadsom-style allowing Rishi to be appointed by the party elites instead,

      As for the plan beyond that, Britain has a surfeit of gas and Europe is expected to run out this winter. I'm guessing someone behind the scenes thinks they can gain some post-Brexit concessions if they have that as a bargaining chip. Not saying it'll work but I can't see anything else that might save the party.

      Or maybe they just want to add the first non-white PM to the party's portfolio before they crash out of politics for another decade. Wouldn't bet either way.

      1. H in The Hague
        Pint

        Re: Delighted ...

        "As for the plan beyond that, Britain has a surfeit of gas"

        Are you sure about that? Source please.

        Have a good weekend. -->

        1. Mark 85

          Re: Delighted ...

          Britain has a surfeit of gas"

          Would that be the intestinal type or the kind from down deep in the earth? Inquiring minds and all that....

        2. Ordinary Donkey

          Re: Delighted ...

          Good catch, I don't have a citation, it was claimed by I think an MEP during discussions on how Europe was going to handle the energy crisis. Could be wrong though, you're correct.

          The idea that the tories plan to use it to blackmail ... I mean influence the EU is entirely my own guesswork.

      2. Boris the Cockroach Silver badge
        Facepalm

        Re: Delighted ...

        I suspect the real reason sunak failed last time (oh god someone make it stop) is because he has a strange sounding name and a non british wife(although she maybe british now by marriage and living here 5 years)

        That how truss got the job...

        And now bozo the clown is back................... >>> icon

        1. Adrian 4

          Re: Delighted ...

          Isn't he still an american citizen ?

          1. Claverhouse Silver badge

            Re: Delighted ...

            Not going to check, but I believe he expensively renounced his citizenship a few years ago upon receiving an IRS tax demand.

            Pity that, because I was hoping we could pawn him off on them.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Delighted ...

              US already has a surplus of bloated bloviating con-man political wannabe kingmaker with crazy bad hair.

              I suppose a case could be made that adding bojo to the trump mix wouldn't be a particularly notable increase in the appalling quotient, and therefore the US could afford to take one for the proverbial team. Maybe they would somehow nullify each other.

        2. BrownishMonstr

          Re: Delighted ...

          Pretty sure it's because he's brown--one LBC caller even said as much.

      3. imanidiot Silver badge

        Re: Delighted ...

        Shirley that's mostly a surfeit of gasBAGS. Mostly found in and around the Houses of Parliament.

      4. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: Delighted ...

        >Tory MPs wanted Sunak from day one. Unfortunately he was in charge of the economy going to shit and people weren't going to forgive him for that so Liz got it instead.

        So Buffers Buffington at the golf club looked at the 10 year gilts yeild curve against GDP and decided to make the white choice

        1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
          Unhappy

          Unfortunately he was in charge of the economy going to shit and people weren't going to forgive him

          Actually a lot of both MP's and the party members blamed his resignation that lit the fuse on the mass resignation of Ministers (did it really reach 60 senior and junior ministers combined within days? It hardly seems believable) and "We'd still have Boris if only he'd sucked it up and got on with his job" or some such line of thinking. :-( .

          I think you'll find this is quite common among the 40+ "Red wall" newbies, who reckon only love of the Johnson got their constituents voting Conservative, often for the first time. IOW they reckon without the return of the Boris their chances of being reelected in 26 are FA. No shot at flipping their Westminster mortaged new London home. No 1st class rail tickets or govt cars. No very reasonable expense allowance.

          TL;DR Haters gotta hate.

      5. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        Unhappy

        "Britain has a surfeit of gas"

        Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

        Britain has no gas.

        Companies some of whom are British (for tax purposes) have gas wells in British sectors of the North Sea.

        Which they sell gas out of at prices set by the world market in $ to whoever they can legally trade with.

        And the UK has been (IIRC) a net importer of gas since IIRC (can't be arsed to google it) 2011.

        While I'm delivering a little economics lesson Sunaks "Windfall" tax was FA like a real windfall tax, which is a retrospective tax on profits companies have already (and unexpectedly) made.

        Now, you were saying....?

        1. Mooseman Silver badge

          Re: "Britain has a surfeit of gas"

          "And the UK has been (IIRC) a net importer of gas since IIRC (can't be arsed to google it) 2011."

          The Uk has been a net importer of natural gas since 2004.

          The Uk has been a net importer of crude oil and gas liquids since 2005

          The Uk has been a net importer of coal since 1984 (I wonder what happened then...?)

          The Uk has been a net importer of petroleum products since 2013

      6. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        Unhappy

        "I'd expect that Boris will step down at the last minute"

        Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

        Again.

        The noble "For the greater good (of the party)" routine?

        Are you f**king kidding me?

        There is one thing and one person that the Johnson loves, admires and deeply respects. He looks at it every morning in the mirror.

        Like any conman who knows he's bang to rights will opt for a jury trial to play the jury if he makes the final 2 he'll force it to go to the party for exactly the same reason. It will work and the UK will get another portion of the supposed wit and wisdom of the Johnson.

        Ukraine elected a comedian and got a statesman.

        UK elected a clown and got a Joker (in the sense of the character in the modern Batman).

      7. heyrick Silver badge

        Re: Delighted ...

        Boris step down? He's in it for himself. He'll go all the way, and the crazies that voted Truss may well vote Boris.

        1. heyrick Silver badge
          Happy

          Re: Delighted ...

          Well... That aged quickly.

          I wonder if Johnson is playing a longer game? Instead of a potentially failed attempt to be PM, he can get into a good position in the cabinet like, oh I dunno, Foreign Secretary?

          1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

            Re: Delighted ...

            I suspect it became clear that Boris would struggle to get the 100 nominations and despite his public clowning around, not getting the 100 nominations would be too much for his ego. I was more concerned that Penny held on the bitter end despite it appearing she had even less chance of getting the 100 nominations. It looked like the Boris supporters switched to Rishi and Penny was hoping they'd swing her way. She claimed, on bowing out at the last minute, that is was for the good of party unity. If that was the case, why didn't she concede early Monday morning?

            Then there slimy Rees-Mogg, Minister for Workhouses. Strongly supporting Boris then immediately switching his full support to Rishi. That comes across very much as supporting whoever wins, even if it's not his first choice. He doesn't come across as someone who will support "the leader" whoever it is for the good of the party and the country. He demonstrated that during both this and the previous leadership campaigns with his public statements. He's not the only one, but he's the most obvious and notable one.

            I just hope Rishi Sunak has the balls to put people into jobs because of what they can do, not who they supported. Truss was notable for sacking pretty much every Sunak supporter and putting in place nobodies who she probably promised top jobs to for their support.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Delighted ...

              Moggy is now out as well... no, not Larry the cat

    2. oiseau
      Facepalm

      Re: Delighted ...

      Those of the sado-masochistic persuasion or downright brain-dead idiots among Tory MPs ...

      Here they are, the lists of who backs who just came in today.

      Unsurprisingly, it includes (up to now) 48 brain-dead idiots.

      Remember to keep a copy for the next (upcoming) election.

      O.

  7. b0llchit Silver badge
    Pint

    Decimal?

    Why are you doing decimal calculations? Wasn't Brexit about going back to sane calculations and bases?

    1. steelpillow Silver badge
      Coat

      Re: Decimal?

      Certainly. I'd suggest we round off a Truss to 4 Scaramouches.

      We can then brag that, like gallons, our Scaramouches are bigger than American Scaramuccis. And we have Queen, if not a proper Queen any more, on our side.

      Furthermore, henceforth there will be 33 1/3 Trusses in every four years, which of course includes one leap year. That works out at 100 Trusses every 12 years, just to prove that we are not biased against decimal so shut up. God Save the King!

      1. b0llchit Silver badge
        Coat

        Re: Decimal?

        God Save the King!

        I didn't know he needed to be saved?!?! Isn't the King supposed to be doing the saving?

        1. Throatwarbler Mangrove Silver badge
          Happy

          Re: Decimal?

          Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't . . . but does he also back up?

          1. steelpillow Silver badge
            Joke

            Re: Decimal?

            No he doesn't take backups. But then he's never upgraded either. There is an automatic failover to the upgrade.

          2. smot

            Re: Decimal?

            Backups are for wimps.

            1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

              Re: Decimal?

              No, that's <a href="https://autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/>Autosave is for wimps</a> :-)

        2. Blitheringeejit
          IT Angle

          Re: Decimal?

          I think you're confusing him with the messiah. As in "He's not the King, he's a very naughty boy!".

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Decimal?

            no, that's Andrew

    2. Adrian 4

      Re: Decimal?

      Have you got 12, 14 or 16 fingers ?

      1. b0llchit Silver badge
        Alien

        Re: Decimal?

        Ehm,... yes?

    3. Joe W Silver badge

      Re: Decimal?

      So, it would be like 4S 1G (somebody suggested the Goebbels above...)

  8. JDX Gold badge

    Currency units are lacking

    I was hoping to calculate my daily energy use in approved Reg units but the lowest £ value that receives a non-zero conversion in any other unit is £10,000 and even now, my energy cost is not that high.

    We need a currency unit which is comparable or significantly lower than the pound, or the converter needs to have a better resolution such as nanoPogbas.

    1. Mike 137 Silver badge

      Re: Currency units are lacking

      Why don't we adopt the Ningi? Although it'll probably be worth more than the plastic pound shortly.

      1. Mooseman Silver badge

        Re: Currency units are lacking

        "hy don't we adopt the Ningi?"

        Because banks won't accept small change.

    2. Korev Silver badge
      Joke

      Re: Currency units are lacking

      The way the pound is going, this won't be a problem for long...

  9. AlexMonro

    So is that Solar days or Sidereal days?

    The Reg Standards Bureau must be precise!

    1. Eclectic Man Silver badge
      Joke

      Solar days?

      ON Magrathea? Do both suns have to rise and set or will one do?

      HHGTTG First series.

  10. Sgt_Oddball
    Holmes

    Will this be added to..

    The standards bureau calculation page? (I assume speed will also be updated? I propose LBT or London Bus per Truss.)

    1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

      Re: Will this be added to..

      I was thinking the other way around. There were time units already:

      (square root nanoWales) per (Percentage of maximum velocity of sheep in a vacuum)

      square root (Great White Shark Linguine per Noris)

      In more standard units, a Truss is about πF.

    2. Antron Argaiv Silver badge
      Unhappy

      Re: Will this be added to..

      The Standards Calculator seems to be missing the Bulgarian Airbags standard of volume.

      Another step towards a PC Register?

  11. TimMaher Silver badge
    Coat

    Please can we have...

    ... a Pfeffel?

    I don’t care what it measures as it will probably be useless anyway.

    Mine’s the one with nothing at all in any of the pockets.

    1. wolfetone Silver badge

      Re: Please can we have...

      "I don’t care what it measures as it will probably be useless anyway."

      I nominate that it records the quantity of bullshit. Or the speed of bluster/wind.

      1 Pfeffel = 1 Metric Tonne Bullshit

      or

      1 Pfeffel = Category 4 Hurricane.

      1. heyrick Silver badge
        Thumb Up

        Re: Please can we have...

        This.

        So next time Apple puts out a press release, or Oracle takes some company to court, the whole thing can be rated in nanoPfeffels.

        1. Eclectic Man Silver badge

          Re: Please can we have...

          Surely the Pfeffel is the unit of incompetence?

  12. MiguelC Silver badge
    Headmaster

    Re: "September 6 - October 20"

    Her tenure lasted from the first to her last day officially as PM, there are 45 days in that range.

    (If she'd quit on her first day on the job, she would have lasted 1 day as PM. Q.E.D.)

    1. katrinab Silver badge
      Headmaster

      Re: "September 6 - October 20"

      She was appointed PM early afternoon on 6th September, and resigned at lunch time 20th October.

      Getting to lunchtime on the 7th Sept would be 1 day.

      1. heyrick Silver badge

        Re: "September 6 - October 20"

        The actual period between election and resignation was 44 days (just), even though it technically covered a span of 45 days.

        It's like counting how many stairs there are, which can actually provide three different values. The smallest is literally "the stairs". The middle is if you also count the upper floor. And the biggest is if you also count the lower floor (in other words, the different levels).

        1. katrinab Silver badge

          Re: "September 6 - October 20"

          If you were to calculate her term of office in hours, how would you do it? And what would you get if you divided the resulting number by 24?

        2. Jonathan Richards 1

          Solved question

          If you're buying a prefabricated staircase, you choose the number of risers, i.e. the vertical parts of the staircase.

      2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

        Re: "September 6 - October 20"

        "She was appointed PM early afternoon on 6th September, and resigned at lunch time 20th October."

        So she's actually PM when appointed by the monarch? In that case, despite announcing her intent to resign as PM, she's still the PM until her boss accepts it, which will be sometime in the morning of Tuesday, 25th.

        It's relatively rare for a resignation to be immediate. It almost always comes with a "notice period", during which work carries on to some extent.

  13. AlexMonro

    Solar days or Sidereal days?

    The Reg Standards Bureau must be precise!

  14. Potemkine! Silver badge

    1 Truss ~= 4.89 Schwartzenberg.. The latter was a minister for 9 days, having to resign because he proposed a mandatory AIDS test for pregnant women and the legalization of cannabis.

    During the French 4th Republic (1945-1958), some "Présidents du Conseil" lasted only a couple of days.

    == Bring us Dabbsy back as Prime Minister! ==

    1. imanidiot Silver badge

      Dabbsy for PM, now there's a movement I can get behind. I doubt he'd want the job though.

  15. chivo243 Silver badge
    Coat

    She's reached papal levels

    Pope John Paul I died suddenly in September 1978, 33 days after his election.

    1. MiguelC Silver badge

      Re: She's reached papal levels

      33 days? Oh, the luxury! Pope Urban VII's reign lasted just 13 days...

      He and ten other popes reigned for 33 days or less

  16. Howard Sway Silver badge

    But is this unit not superfluous?

    1 Truss = 44 x 24 = 1056 hours

    Therefore 1 Millitruss = about 1 hour

    Therefore 1 Truss = 1 Kilohour

    Or am I just getting my metric and imperial measures hopelessly confused here?

    1. alexdonald

      Re: But is this unit not superfluous?

      1 kiloHour = 1,000 hours.

      I think you meant kibiHour!

      (Yes, yes, I know it's not quite 1024 either)

      1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

        Re: But is this unit not superfluous?

        "(Yes, yes, I know it's not quite 1024 either)"

        Close enough for Government work!! :-)

    2. Norman Nescio Silver badge
      Coat

      Re: But is this unit not superfluous?

      1 Truss = 44 x 24 = 1056 hours

      Therefore 1 Millitruss = about 1 hour

      Therefore 1 Truss = 1 Kilohour

      Or am I just getting my metric and imperial measures hopelessly confused here?

      This is a site with a high concentration of IT nerds (I am one, I recognize those of my ilk), so for greater accuracy, one Truss is just over a Mibihour (1024 hours); or precisely 210 hours + 25 hours, or 32(32+1) hours.

      For Imperial, one Truss is exactly 7⅓ gross hours

      I'll get my coat with the pocket protector.

      NN

  17. GreggS

    A Truss

    You could have easily have already been using a Clough(ie) as he only lasted the same amount of time at Leeds United as famously depicted in the Damned Utd. Ironically, Truss wanted to channel the spirit of Don Revie during her leadership bid, the very man Clough replaced.

  18. 4d3fect
    Coat

    Truss reppers

    will be persecuted to the full extent of the law!

  19. aerogems Silver badge
    Coat

    Additional Possible Units

    Surely there are plenty of units that could be derived from the Johnson administration and could then also result in some delightful double entendre unit names and abbreviations. Like BJs and Johnsons.

  20. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Happy

    I thought of "The Johnson" as 2m

    Standard separation to avoid infection.

    Some of you will no will doubt be thinking (because I know you quite well) "2 metres. In his dreams."

    1. LogicGate Silver badge

      Re: I thought of "The Johnson" as 2m

      I believe that a common johnnson is 18"

      https://youtu.be/m-tKnjFwleU

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I thought of "The Johnson" as 2m

      it's pointless, but 2m is the 'Osman'...

  21. Borg.King

    1 Bannon

    4 months is about 121.6 days, so 1 Bannon is approximately 2.75 Truss

  22. rcxb Silver badge
    Coat

    Scaramouche

    the Conservative leader "lasted 4.1 Scaramuccis."

    I see a little silhouetto of a man

    Scaramucci, Scaramucci, will you do the Fandango?

    Spare him his life from this monstrosity

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I’d be worried

    If I were King Chuck

    That last change-over didn’t go so well.

  24. Eclectic Man Silver badge

    Aside - Measure of Verbosity

    I believe that your esteemed rival publication, New Scientist, has the Dirac as the unit of verbosity (one word per hour) from the notoriously taciturn physicist, Paul Dirac who invented anti-matter. ;o)

  25. rjed

    while on the other side of the earth

    We have XI Jinping who is all set for an infinite Truss.

    1. Marc 13

      Re: while on the other side of the earth

      So the the Xi should become a new Reg Std bureau Constant?

  26. Marc 13
    Boffin

    But which Truss?

    Does 1 Truss = 1 week (as in head of lettuce)

    Or

    Does 1 Truss = 44 days ?

    Is the shortened form / abbreviation the "LTr"

  27. x 7

    Horse feed

    A "truss" is a unit of horse feed

    Namely, how much hay you can pick up on the end of a pitchfork

    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      Re: Horse feed

      It's also used as a support when you have a hernia.

  28. Version 1.0 Silver badge
    Facepalm

    Planning to fix this ...

    "In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable." - Dwight Eisenhower. A quote that pretty much defines the current political situation.

  29. Dizzy Dwarf

    What's the symbol?

    Tr, Ts, something else?

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    con-confs

    confidence (aka 'fail') level: mega-boris, uber-truss, giga-sunaks. Well, at least 'The Markets' have faith in giga-sunaks, wonder why... And we haven't even got to testing Starner-units yet!

  31. call-me-mark

    Trivia question for the future

    I've seen it suggested on social media that "Who was PM when Queen Elizabeth II" is likely to become a standard trivia question in future decades.

    It's surely the only thing Truss will be remembered for.

    1. Dizzy Dwarf

      Re: Trivia question for the future

      The Curtsy of Death

  32. crediblywitless

    Spookily, a milliTruss turns out to be "about an hour"

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